Caleb joins other recent acquisitions in the Anthesis Consulting Group from the US, Europe and Asia, including Best Foot Forward, a leading sustainability specialist in the UK (October 2013) and UMR in Germany (January 2014). Caleb has a prominent reputation in chemical regulatory management and sustainable chemistry which has been built over the last 20 years. Caleb manages over 700 substances under various regulatory frameworks and has a client-base of over 75 blue-chip companies in the chemical, polymer and downstream industries, with a particular focus on the built environment.

Caleb’s technical staff and operations will remain unchanged at the point of delivery, but will receive additional financial and managerial support from Anthesis. The acquisition brings Anthesis’ staff complement to 90.

Stuart McLachlan, Chief Executive Officer of Anthesis, said:

“Caleb represents a very exciting development for Anthesis. The combination of Caleb’s skills and our strategic consulting, analytics and behaviour change services, provides a strong point of differentiation from many of Anthesis’ competitors. Whilst we already have competence in sustainable chemistry and substitution, Paul and his team will substantially enhance our service provision.

“The sustainability agenda is moving away from talking about “what’s possible” to clients demanding real, tangible business outcomes. Caleb’s hands-on experience of assessing chemical risk and managing substitution will be a critical component as many clients review their products and supply chains in order to deliver demonstrable environmental and social benefit.

“For Anthesis to become the leading global sustainability specialist in supply chain performance, producer responsibility and related sustainable product design it is essential for us to gain deep expertise in the chemistry. This is a market that is driven by our clients’ sustainability commitments, and by the increase in global policy and regulation.”

Paul Ashford, Managing Director of Caleb, commented:

“The purchase by Anthesis allows Caleb to better serve its growing international client base, much of which is based in the US. In addition, it also brings Caleb’s sustainable chemical expertise into the Anthesis’ offering at a time when supply chains are having to respond to calls for greater transparency and hazard assessment.

“I share Anthesis’ enthusiasm for realising the synergies of Caleb’s sustainable chemistry skills with their core business-focussed and digitally-enabled services, which I believe will form a powerful supply chain nexus rivalled by few in the global market.”

About Anthesis

Anthesis Consulting Group is a global sustainability consultancy and delivery partner providing best-in-class environmental, social and commercial sustainability strategies and solutions. Our focus is on practical and commercially relevant outcomes for our clients.

About Paul Ashford and Caleb

Caleb is a specialist multi-disciplinary consultancy based near Bristol, England, with staff in the UK, Germany and representation in the United States. The company is well integrated in the various policy and practice groups within the chemical, environmental and climate change global communities and has established a prominent position in chemicals risk assessment, including REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals), CLP (Classification, Labeling and Packaging) Regulations, and associated sustainability and environmental services.

Caleb is led by Paul Ashford, a prominent specialist in the space, who not only supported the on-going development and implementation of the Montreal Protocol (which managed the control of ozone depleting chemicals), but is also a current member of the Inter-Governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Paul has successfully led Caleb to a leading position on the implementation of REACH within the European Union as well as being a renowned “thinker and doer” in international chemical policy regulation, a position that is recognised by his role as co-chair of the UNEP Foams Technical Options Committee, which Paul has held since 1998.

Supported by a world class team of chemical sustainability subject matter experts, Caleb has grown a global client portfolio of over 75 blue chip companies in the chemical, polymer and downstream industries and manage over 700 substances under various regulatory frameworks on behalf of their clients.